


Day 11, Day 18, Day 24

by Widowfics



Series: Varian and Whumptober 2020 [10]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010), Varian and the Seven Kingdoms
Genre: ...again, Crying, Defiance, Donella's being a jerk, Hurt Hugo, Hurt Varian (Disney), I love this concept ok?, I'VE SAID TOO MUCH, I'm just a freshman don't judge, NOT varigo, Panic Attacks, Paranoia, Phobias, Struggling, Varian's protective of his mom, Varian's still scared of blood, Whumptober 2020, but I'm really proud of it, but not murder apparently, his is just emotional tho, i used all of them, i wrote this at 11pm, it's fine, not even sure when this would take place, poor Varian tho, the gang finds out about Varian's past, would you look at that?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:26:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26948941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Widowfics/pseuds/Widowfics
Summary: “Selfish,” his neighbors had muttered to each other, watching as yet another one of his failed experiments polluted their gardens and yards.“...unstable…” the guards had whispered, passing his dark, damp cell and avoiding eye contact like the plague.“Dangerous,” the townspeople had spat as he walked down the streets of Corona for the first time in a year.But through all the hurt and pain of their words, Varian knew they were true. He was a criminal and he deserved it.Ulla had wanted to help people, to use her knowledge to make a better world. Her partner is the selfish one. The unstable one. The danger.And she’s standing right in front of him.So Varian snaps.orHugo takes Varian to confront Donella; it does not go well
Relationships: Donella & Hugo (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms), Donella & Varian (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms), Hugo & Nuru & Varian & Yong (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms), Hugo & Varian (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms)
Series: Varian and Whumptober 2020 [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1940524
Comments: 8
Kudos: 120
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	1. Psych 101

**Author's Note:**

> 7K fic 4?? tbh I'm surprised I'm making it this far into Whumptober. God is really getting me through this, and so are your comments! Thank you so much for the support, you guys are the reason I write 😊 
> 
> So back to the fic, I'm not exactly sure where this one would fit in the 7K story either. Definitely sometime after Hugo betrays Donella (I'm pretty sure I explained it in the writing, but you never know...)
> 
> Anyways, onto the show:)
> 
> PROMPTS I USED TODAY: defiance, struggling, AND crying - I'm amazing, I know

Varian can’t move. It’s not uncommon for him to freeze when things go wrong, but right now he really, truly, _cannot_ snap out of it. It’s almost as if he’s stuck in the pink goo that gets him out of many other situations (and maybe if he closes his eyes, he can pretend that’s the case…) 

But when he opens them, she’s still there. That...woman. The one who sent Hugo to infiltrate them. The one who had been relentlessly hunting them since Hugo betrayed her.

The one responsible for his mother’s disappearance all those years ago.

He can’t move.

“So _this_ is the boy you chose over me?” she says suddenly, causing three other people in the room to tense. Despite the fact she is cornered by them, and they carry various weapons while she is defenseless, she laughs.

“Donella,” Hugo warns, but it’s too weary to be threatening. He adjusts his grip on his dagger, sparing an uncomfortable glance at the identical one in Varian’s belt.

She turns her eyes to him, shaking her head. The cruel grin doesn’t leave her face.

“No, no, I get it. I was foolish to think you would stay. That the pathetic little thief I took in could be loyal to anyone but himself.”

A month ago, Yong, Nuru, and Varian wouldn’t have cared less about Hugo’s emotions, too blinded by their anger and hurt over the revealing of his true intentions. But now, after countless long conversations and near death experiences together, protectiveness surges through them at any attack towards their friend.

“Leave him alone!” Yong shouts, subconsciously holding his fireworks closer to her. “He will always be a better person than you!”

Donella only lifts an eyebrow, almost amused at the child’s temper.

“If you say so,” she sighs, obviously not taking his words seriously. “But don’t be surprised when he abandons you at the Library, _Varian_.”

It’s not the warning of abandonment (they all know an empty threat when they hear one) that breaks through Varian’s foggy mind, but the mention of his name.

The mention of his name by _her_.

He can move again.

“You know me?” His voice comes out rough, as if he hasn’t talked in days. He ignores it.

Her response is immediate.

“I do. It took me a little while, since Hugo never mentioned names. But the journal, the alchemy, and you look just like her…”

She pauses, her grin dropping and her eyes narrowing a bit.

“Ulla’s son.”

If he thinks about it, he probably wasn’t ready for this confrontation. But ever since she had discovered Hugo’s choice, the attempts to stop their journey had been relentless, and the last one had been...too close.

Something had to be done.

So Hugo had brought them here.

Varian wonders if that had been a mistake as he stands, face to face with the person who caused him to grow up without a mom.

“Don’t you _dare_ talk about her,” he practically growls, not noticing the step he takes forward. 

Nuru does, and she’s about to stop him when Hugo motions against it. Instead, she watches carefully.

All amusement has left Donella’s face, and she also inches forward.

“Why not?” she bites back. “She was my research partner, besides Quirin, I was closer to her than anyone!”

“You took her away from me!” Varian cries in disbelief. “And don’t try to deny it, I found out everything. You were jealous, and you trapped her in that Library! And now you’re willing to _kill_ us to keep us from freeing her!”

In the heat of the argument, Varian realizes they’ve closed the distance between themselves, and Donella towers over him. He can’t bring himself to care.

“It wasn’t out of jealousy, stupid boy,” she snarls, leaning forward. “Your mother was selfish, and unstable, and _dangerous_ , and there hasn’t been one moment where I regret _taking her out_ .” 

Varian’s mouth hangs open, her words slowly processing in his brain.

 _“Selfish,”_ his neighbors had muttered to each other, watching as yet another one of his failed experiments polluted their gardens and yards.

 _“...unstable…”_ the guards had whispered, passing his dark, damp cell and avoiding eye contact like the plague.

 _“Dangerous,”_ the townspeople had spat as he walked down the streets of Corona for the first time in a year. 

But through all the hurt and pain of their words, Varian knew they were true. He was a criminal and he _deserved_ it.

Ulla had wanted to help people, to use her knowledge to make a better world. Her partner is the selfish one. The unstable one. The _danger_.

And she’s standing right in front of him.

So Varian snaps.

An enraged scream erupts from his lungs, and he uses all his strength to shove her away. Caught off guard, Donella stumbled back, barely catching herself from falling down. Varian wastes no time lunging at her, pure rage encompassing his mind and spotting his vision. 

A thought hits him and he reaches for his belt, pulling out the dagger Hugo had given him what feels like ages ago. He hesitates, if only for a second, before lifting it above his head. He realizes Donella looks almost scared, but he can’t even enjoy it because deep inside he knows, _he knows_ he’s back in that spot, the one that sent him to prison and ruined friendships and made him hate himself _so much_ \- but he can’t stop. 

He brings his arm down, fully prepared to watch it plunge into her chest and-

Strong hands grab his, stopping him mid-swing. (His consciousness breathes a sigh of relief, but he pushes it away.) Instead he cries out.

“Let go of me!” He’s vaguely aware of the wetness on his cheeks, but he’s so used to the feeling it’s easy to ignore that, too. “Let go, Hugo!”

“No!” Hugo shouts, actually struggling against the normally weaker teen’s adrenaline pumped strength. “Varian, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you need to stop! We can work this out, just _calm down_.”

“LET GO!” he screams, so loud and so _broken_ , that Hugo’s grip slips.

Varian takes his chance, breaking away from his friend and lifting the knife once more, and he’s ready…

He freezes.

The dagger is not in his hand anymore.

He shakily looks down at his open palm. His weapon has been replaced by a giant slit, _gushing_ red.

He looks at Hugo.

“Varian…” he whispers, guilt sunk deep into his face. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know what to do.”

When Varian doesn’t move, doesn’t react (his eyes are trained on the dagger in the blonde’s hand, now slick with blood), Hugo reaches towards him. “Let me help, please.”

The movement snaps Varian out of it, and he flinches away.

No, no, this can’t be happening. This wasn’t supposed to be about his mom (he wasn’t supposed to mess up so bad again). They were supposed to stop the attacks and attempts on their lives (he’s supposed to be better now). This should’ve been peaceful, _they can’t find out…_

He thought he was ready. 

He’s never ready. 

And now they know. They know the real him.

“No,” he breathes, more to himself than anyone else.

Hugo thinks he’s talking to him, so he tries again.

“Varian…”

Varian snaps his head towards the taller boy, as if just noticing his presence.

Suddenly, he hears a chuckle behind him. Donella smirks.

“You really are Ulla’s kid…”

He can’t take it anymore.

He runs.

He pushes past Hugo, then Nuru and Yong, who seem almost frozen with shock. He bursts out of the small hut, emerging into the dark forest. He sees their camp and immediately veers away from it. He hears worried voices call after him, but they don’t follow, and he runs faster. He sprints through the trees, cradling his bleeding hand close and not caring as branches smack his face, pull his hair and scratch his legs. He continues, not knowing where he’s going, just away from them, from what he did to them. The tears stream down his cheeks freely now, and he desperately chokes back a sob.

It’s only a few minutes before his foot catches on a root and he goes crashing to the ground. But he doesn’t pick himself up, instead crying softly into the dirt.

He’s alone, completely alone. No mom, no dad, no friends. It’s just him, and the truth that’s slowly killing him.

The truth, that he will always, _always_ , be the villain.

And there’s nothing he can do about it.


	2. Panic! At the Disco

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugo shudders, dropping his head into his hands. What had he seen? That wild look in Varian’s eyes, the way he seemed to have lost control as he stood over Donella, a knife in his hands and no sign of hesitation. Hugo had seen a lot of scary things in his life, but never before had he felt so terrified.
> 
> or
> 
> 7K gang's reaction to the events in chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha hey guys! So, if you didn't notice, I changed the title of this work AND the number of chapters. Originally this was only gonna be two chapters, but I decided to be lazy and get behind on Whumptober. So I am now literally writing these the day I am supposed to post them (yeah, procrastinate much?). Anyways, I could NOT think of anything for day 24's prompts so I decided to just use it as a free day and finish up this story. I guess it kinda goes with that day's title...idk.
> 
> Plus, I kinda like this story, don't you? Yeah idek what I'm doing with my life anymore. Thx for not giving up on me tho 😂
> 
> PROMPTS I USED TODAY: panic attacks (eh) phobias (a little...) paranoia (ig)

“...it’s been three hours, Hugo.”

Hugo lets his gaze drop to the ground at Nuru’s statement. The fire crackles in front of them, the only source of light in the darkness of the night. 

“I know.”

Somewhere, deep in the surrounding forest, an owl hoots, and grasshoppers chirp loudly nearby. It would be like any other night at their camp, had there not been an absence of one person.

“So what are we going to do, leave him in the woods by himself?”

Hugo closes his eyes, sensing the agitation in Yong’s question. And he had a right to it. Varian has been gone for a while now. They had long since gotten rid of Donella, the authorities contacted beforehand showing up hours ago. It had been hard to see the person he would once do anything for carried away in chains, but it was better than what had almost happened…

Hugo shudders, dropping his head into his hands. What had he seen? That wild look in Varian’s eyes, the way he seemed to have lost control as he stood over Donella, a knife in his hands and no sign of hesitation. Hugo had seen a lot of scary things in his life, but never before had he felt so _terrified_.

But that wasn’t even the worst part. No, the worst part had been his friend’s reaction when he was stopped. The way he stood, blood dripping from his hand, equally terrified. And Hugo knew.

This wasn’t the first time it had happened.

Hugo had thought he knew Varian. Maybe not so much at first, but over time, he came to find out a lot about the boy. He figured out surprising things, like the fact that he’s actually the Royal Engineer in Corona. He was told nice things like the friends and family he had waiting at home. Together, they had learned important things, like the fact that his supposedly dead mother is alive, and the key to finding her is in the trials. He knew Varian to be a kind and caring person. And though there were times when he lost his temper or did something shadier than expected, it was never like that.

Never.

Varian has been hiding something from them, and now that they know, he’s not sure what to do.

“I don’t…”

Hugo trails off at the sound of rustling in the nearby woods. He stands straight up, peering in the direction of the noise and motioning for Nuru and Yong to be silent behind him. Slowly, he steps towards the trees, careful not to be too loud. The rustling continues, and Hugo’s heart beats rapidly against his chest.

All of a sudden, a figure emerges, stumbling out of the foliage and hanging their head low. It only takes a second for Hugo to recognize who it is, even in the dim moonlight. 

“...Varian?”

Varian lifts his head a little, bloodshot eyes locking with his friend’s. For a moment, time is frozen, and all the two can do is stare at each other, desperately trying to figure out what’s going on in the other’s head.

Then Varian’s legs give out, and he falls to his knees. Hugo stands still in shock, before ultimately rushing forward, his protective instinct overcoming any other feelings he may be having. 

But once he’s in front of the collapsed boy, looking down at a mop of black and blue hair, he stops. The feelings from before are back in full force. He doesn’t know how to go on. He’s...worried, of course. He had left Varian with a bleeding hand, and he knows for certain that the blood alone could cause him to freak out majorly (well, it’s a little late for that). 

But he’s afraid, too. And that’s something he can’t ignore. The crazed look in the usually composed and kind teen as he tried to _murder_ the woman who had raised Hugo was something ingrained in his mind forever.

He truly has no _idea_ what to do.

Nuru and Yong shuffle behind him, waiting for him to make the first move. He’s reminded that he doesn’t get the luxury of not taking the lead in this situation. So he takes a deep breath, calming himself for his next course of action.

“Varian?” Hugo repeats, doing his best to keep his voice neutral.

Varian only hangs his head lower, as if he’s the scared one, and not his friends. Then, he does something unexpected.

He extends both his arms in front of him, hands shaking slightly, right one crusted over with dried blood. He puts his wrists together in a way that can imply only one thing.

“Restrain me,” he pleads in a hoarse voice, speaking what Hugo already knows. “I know you can.”

“What?” is all Hugo can think to say.

“I’m dangerous,” is his simple explanation. His eyes never leave the ground. “I’m...please, Hugo. Just do it.”

In that moment, Hugo makes a decision. He kneels in front of Varian, grabbing his trembling hands gently, and pushing them down. Varian snaps his head up at the motion, staring at Hugo with an unbelieving expression.

“H-Hugo, no, you have to-”

“Stop, Varian,” Hugo interrupts firmly. “Look, I don’t- I don’t know what’s going on, ok, but we’re gonna figure it out. I _promise_.”

Varian’s eyes glaze over with an unfamiliar emotion that makes Hugo uneasy.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” he whispers.

Hugo ignores the teen’s crypticness and pushes his fear to the side, instead opting to help Varian stand up, who surprisingly doesn’t resist.

“We’re gonna go over to the fire, I’m gonna clean up your cut, and you’re gonna explain to me, Nuru, and Yong what the _heck_ happened back there. Alright?”

Only a moment of hesitation passes before Varian nods weakly, exhausted little body leaning against Hugo’s much stronger one.

As they walk, Varian’s previous words come back to him. 

_Don’t make promises you can’t keep_.

Hugo truly hopes he didn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so quick announcement! I've been giving this a lot of thought, and I think I have finally decided to write an entire 7K fanfiction based off of Kait Ritter and Anna Lencioni's concepts and characters. I've already started planning it, but serious outlines and writing will probably begin around December/January. Can't promise when I'll actually start posting, but I just wanted to let y'all know and see if you think it's a good idea!
> 
> again, thank you for reading:)


	3. You're Not Making Any Sense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I spent so much time afterwards with people who wanted to just forget about what I had done. I had no problem with that. I didn’t want to remember it either. But I think all that not remembering what I did, made me forget who I was.”  
> He lifts his hands, passionately pointing at himself. His voice cracks with the next words.  
> “Who I am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey! this has been one of my favorite fics to write so far (not so sure it's the best reading wise for you guys...sorry) I do hope you've enjoyed it, though. I would DIE for the 7K gang!
> 
> PROMPTS I USED TODAY: lol literally none of them (maybe the title?)

“I’m sorry.”

Hugo looks up from the hand he had been cleaning and bandaging. Varian looks at him with wide eyes, bright blue even in the dark. He feels Nuru and Yong tense from the other side of the dying fire.

He looks back down, not saying anything at first and continuing to wrap the bandage. 

“What _happened_?” he finally responds.

Varian looks away, whether from the sight of the bloodied cloth Hugo puts away or from shame at the question, he doesn’t know. 

“I lost it,” the younger boy whispers. “I thought I could control it. But...I messed up again.”

“Again?” Nuru repeats, an unidentifiable emotion in her voice. 

Varian actually looks at her, then Yong, before his gaze finally settles on the blonde in front of him.

“...yes.”

“This _has_ happened before.” Hugo shakes his head at Varian’s small nod. “When? Why?”

“Three years ago,” Varian starts, indescribable pain radiating off of him. “There was an...accident. I didn’t know what to do. My dad was in trouble and no one would help me. I tried to do things by myself, _awful_ things to get what I wanted. Nothing was working. Then one day...I-I took it too far.”

“What did you do?” comes Yong’s young voice, almost reluctantly, as if he doesn’t want to hear the answer. Hugo can relate, though he knows that’s not an option.

“I snapped,” Varian says, so quietly, Hugo thinks he may be talking to himself.

“I tried to murder the royal family,” he clarifies in a louder voice.

Nuru lets out a small gasp, gripping Yong’s hand when tears spring to the child's eyes. Hugo’s mouth hangs slightly open. Varian closes his eyes.

They had been expecting something bad, but, well...not quite that.

“I-I had - _have_ \- a problem,” he continues quickly, sounding like he’s on the verge of a breakdown. “That much is obvious. Maybe it came from that, _time_ , in my life. Or maybe I’ve always had one. I don’t know…”

He bites his lip, taking in a deep breath before going on. 

“I spent so much time afterwards with people who wanted to just forget about what I had done. I had no problem with that. I didn’t want to remember it either. But I think all that not remembering what I did, made me forget who I was.”

He lifts his hands, passionately pointing at himself. His voice cracks with the next words.

“Who I _am_.”

Hugo stays silent, slowly taking in everything his friend tells him. For once in his life, he has nothing to say. No witty comebacks, no superior knowledge to share, not even a word of encouragement. How could he? His best friend just confessed secrets that could change everything. Forever.

“What Donella said…” Nuru speaks, succeeding where Hugo is hugely failing. 

“She got in my head,” Varian says in a way that sounds like he’s begging them to understand. “She started saying those things about my mom, and I couldn’t- she wouldn’t-”

He stutters, obviously at a loss for words. Finally, he seems to simply give up, hanging his head.

“No, you guys are right,” he accepts, voice low and defeated. “I hurt people then, and I hurt you guys now. It’s all my fault, and...you guys can do whatever you want with me. I’m done putting people in danger.”

Hugo looks back at the others, who seem as stuck as he is. There were plenty of choices for what they could do. But the real question is what they _should_ do.

And the answer is getting more complicated by the minute.

“Why didn’t you just tell us?”

Hugo’s voice comes out tight and emotion filled, two things that are very uncharacteristic for him. He realizes he’s standing up now, having finished the bandage a while ago. 

Varian looks up at him through blue striped bangs.

“Yeah, that would have worked out great,” he laughs, all bitterness and absolutely no joy. “No, nothing wrong here except sometimes I get an uncontrollable urge to _kill_ people and oh yeah, I went to jail for it.”

Hugo flinches at the tone (he doesn’t even want to think about what Varian means by going to jail; he senses that’s a topic for another day). Varian’s features crumble with guilt at the older teen’s reaction.

“Sorry,” he apologizes hastily, standing up to meet Hugo’s gaze, tears already starting to roll down his cheeks. “I should’ve told you guys. I should’ve done a lot of things. I’m so sorry, about everything.”

The sudden shift in attitudes and motions causes Nuru and Yong to stand up from their seats, too. For a moment, the only sound is the crackling of the fire, combined with the uneven breathing of four silent kids staring at each other.

Varian stares at one particular flame, hugging himself and not looking away.

“You can’t trust me,” he states simply. Then he holds out a hand, stopping them before anyone can object. “You can’t, ok? Not even _I_ can trust me. So please, please be smart about this.”

“You couldn’t trust me, either,” Hugo speaks up, suddenly finding it in him to talk somewhat normally, suddenly finding an answer to the millions of questions circling his mind. “You shouldn’t’ve trusted me. And, if we’re being honest, I haven’t given you a reason to trust me now.”

“This is different,” Varian counters.

“Maybe,” Hugo admits. “And maybe we really _can’t_ trust you.”

“So why are we even having this conversation?”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Yong asks, understanding where Hugo’s going with this. “When you love someone, you love someone. Trust has nothing to do with it.”

“W-What?” Varian questions, looking utterly lost, not quite catching on yet.

“We’re more than a team, Varian,” Nuru tries to help. “You know that.”

At that statement, something seems to click for the troubled boy. He opens his mouth, words steadily coming to him.

“...we’re a family.”

Hugo’s heart jumps (because maybe he needed that reminder just as much as Varian). He surprises even himself when he abruptly throws his arms around the shorter boy. But he doesn’t back off, even when Varian tenses, only holds him tighter. Soon, Varian relaxes in the embrace.

“That’s right, V,” he whispers shakily. “And families help each other. So we’re not going anywhere.”

And if Varian feels tears that are not his own, well, who cares at this point? In the words of the twelve year old boy to their right…

When you love someone, you love someone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a quick announcement! So today I entered a story for a writing contest on Wattpad. The challenge was to write a disturbing thriller in celebration of Amazon Prime's new horror movies. If you guys wouldn't mind checking it out, that would make my day! This is the link: https://www.wattpad.com/971949070-mirror (don't be afraid to say hi in the comments! Mention you're from AO3 and I'll definitely reply)  
> And while you're there, maybe you can check out my original novel I've been working on!! It's called Guess Who? and should be listed in my works:)  
> As always, thanks for reading! You guys are truly awesome 🥰

**Author's Note:**

> oh, forgot to say that this is gonna be two chapters. No, I did not leave you with ANOTHER cliffhanger 😂 thx for reading!!


End file.
